


Allergies and Love

by nerdfox102



Category: Dead Poets Society (1989)
Genre: Charlie is done, Fluff, Idiots, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Neil is lovesick, Todds an idiot, knox is clueless
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-18
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-10-30 17:19:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17832827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdfox102/pseuds/nerdfox102
Summary: Todd has a problem. Whenever he looks at Neil his pulse starts to quicken, his hands get clammy, his face starts to flush. He needs to figure out what these symptoms mean.





	1. Love? More like Allergies

**Author's Note:**

> This kinda is like a crack idea I had when I woke up one day but I decided to write this instead of working on my Great Gatsby fic so like yeet I guess.

Todd was questioning if his idea was actually good or not. He had been feeling weird around Neil for a while now and maybe talking to someone would be the best idea. What he wondered was if his idea of telling Charlie was good or not. Todd didn't know if Charlie was the best person to share his feelings with. If what he said turned out to be dumb, Charlie would never let it go. This confession would be held over Todd's head forever. 

While he was weighing the pros and cons of asking for Charlie's help, the reason for his turmoil walked into the room. 

The door was slammed shut behind an ecstatic Neil. Todd's eyes swept up to see the excited look on Neil's face. His stomach began to feel fuzzy as his heart began to beat faster in his ears.

"Todd you will not believe what happened at play practice today" exclaimed Neil as he began to unravel the scarf from around his neck. "Tom was trying to talk up Ginny like his usual self you know. Super arrogant. And instead of going along with it like she normally does she told him to screw off! It was amazing Todd! He looked so surprised! What do you think Todd did he deserve it?"

Todd didn't reply. He was to busy being distracted by the smile that played on the other boys face. Todd could feel his cheeks heating up with the thought how beautiful that smile really was.

"Hey Todd you feeling all right? You're face is really red. Here let me check you for a temperature." Neil began to move his hand slowly towards Todd's face. Thinking of the softness of Neil's hands made Todd heat up even more and in an act of quiet desperation Todd jumped up from his bed.

"No-no I'm feeling fine. I-I gotta go goodbye Neil" Todd stammered as he ran from their shared bedroom, leaving behind a puzzled Neil.

Todd ran down the stairs and into the common green, pausing only when he knew that he hadn't been followed. He stopped to stand by a tree and gather his thoughts. His heart was still beating wildly out of his chest. He again weighs the option of telling Charlie in his mind. Thinking of the awkward experience that he just had, Todd made up his mind. With a breath, He decided that he would talk to Charlie about his feelings.

 

Todd began to search for the other boy and found him in the library, distracting Knox's attempts at studying. Todd greeted to two boys and asked to speak to Charlie alone. In typical Charlie fashion a joke was made. After a moment of Todd blushing and stammering, Charlie guided them to a more secluded part of the library.

"What do you need from me? Though if it's what I think it's for I didn't know you could be so forward! You could at least buy me dinner first!"

"That's not- I'm not-" Todd stuttered. "Charlie you're good with emotions right?"

"So it is about you're undying live for me!" joked Charlie "Why Todd how sweet of you. I have to tell you though that I am in love with another. Don't worry we can still be friends! I won't let your crushing love for me put a damper on our relationship" 

"It's not about you Charlie and if you're going to make a joke about it I'll just ask Knox" Todd said as he brushed past Charlie and began to walk away.

Charlie made a move and grabbed Todd by the arm "You don't want to ask that boy anything about emotions. Trust me. You could outright say you loved him and he wouldn't even bat an eye. What do you need Todd'o? I swear I'll take it seriously this time."

Todd glanced at Charlie to make sure he was being serious. He looked into Charlie's eyes and saw that they were full of honest concern. "You have to promise to not say anything to anyone ok?" 

"I promise" repeated Charlie.

Todd took a deep breath and then began to speak. "I'm having a problem with feelings" said Todd softly.

"Feelings for a certain person?" questioned Charlie. 

"Yes feelings for a certain person" replied Todd.

"If it's not about me then whose it about? Meeks? Pitts? Neil?" At the sound of Neil's name Todd began to blush again. "Oh my god you're having feeling problems about Neil. I knew it! Cameron owes me twenty bucks."

"Serious remember! I need actual help with this problem." stated Todd.

"Right serious. A hundred percent serious. All the time. Thats me. They call me Mr. Serious," replied Charlie in a tone that showed he wasn't serious at all. Todd fixed Charlie with a glare. "All right all right I'll be serious! What are the 'feeling problems' you're having about our boy Neil"

Todd took a breath and began to explain his problem. "Whenever I'm around him my hands get all clammy and my heart speeds up my stomach feels funny and it gets harder to breath."

Charlie looked at Todd with stare that meant 'how dense are you.' "Do you know what that means?"

"No I don't know what it means that's why I'm asking you!" quietly shouted Todd.

"Hey calm down. There's no need to get all defensive about it. Ok so what you're saying typically means that you feel a certain way for that person."

"I don't understand?" questioned Todd. "What do my symptoms mean."

Charlie ran a hand through his hair and muttered "it's like confessing to Knox but worse." In a more audible tone he began "Ok I can work with this. You know how when your symptoms keep happening it's normally the body's way of being sick or excited for something right?"

"Yeah..." replied Todd in a tone that shows he was barely following.

"Well maybe your symptoms are saying one of those things. Do you catch my drift?" finished Charlie.

"I think so."

"Well then what do you think your symptoms mean." Charlie stated, leaning in to here Todd say that he was in love with his roommate.

"I think they mean that I'm allergic to Neil Perry and I need to stay far far away from him. Thanks for your help Charlie!" Todd began to walk away from Charlie, waving his hand goodbye.

"Todd no!" yelled Charlie. It was too late. Todd was gone. Charlie brought a hand to his face and whispered "Why are all the boys so dumb?"


	2. Schemes and Idiots

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neil goes to his friends to complain about his love life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Neil's perspective! I hope I wrote him well. The rest of these chapters are really short, I hope you guys don't mind!

Neil had began to realize that his roommate was ignoring him after the second day of zero contact. After the boy didn't show to another poets meeting, Neil had come to the conclusion that Todd hated him. The longer that Todd's ignoring of Neil went on, the sadder he became. One night, two weeks after Todd's revelation. Knox finally asked Neil why he had gotten so depressed.

"Todd hates me. He's been ignoring me for two weeks and every time I try to approach him he runs off like a scared deer. I don't know what he hates me now but he does and I hate that he hates me and I don't know what to do"

"Maybe if you both weren't such idiots you'd figure it out" replied a salty Charlie.

"This isn't the time to be insulting out lovesick friend Charlie! How would you feel if the person you liked didn't seem to realize how you feel about them" chided Knox as he attempted to console Neil.

"I am going to scream." stated Charlie nonchalantly.

Knox ignored Charlie's statement in favor of coming up with a way to help his friend. He sat thoughtfully for a moment before excitedly springing from his chair.

"I've got it! I know how to help you out. We get Todd to go to the cave under the assumption that you won't be there and then boom. You show up and you guys have to have a conversation about your feelings" shouted Knox. 

"I think that's perfect Knox! Do you guys think you can get Todd there?" Neil said, his spirits lifting.

"Leave it all to the two of us. You'll have Todd back within the week!" replied Knox as he grabbed Charlie by the arm. "Come on Charlie we have a date to plan"

While he was being dragged away, Charlie fixed Neil with a glance that conveyed his hopeless love for the other boy. Neil could only shrug and mouth the words "go get me tiger" before his friends were gone.

Neil was excited again. He had faith that his friends would be able to sort out why his roommate was ignoring him. In a much better mood, Neil went to go back to his room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More of my children being idiots. Hope you enjoyed!


	3. Local idiot is lovesick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Todd is sad and alone. Enter Knox and Charlie with an idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again a really short chapter. Sorry if you guys aren't into that! Hope you enjoy

Todd was miserable. Ignoring Neil was harder than he thought it would be. He missed his friend. He missed to way Neil would look to Todd just to see if he was laughing. His missed the brightness of Neil's eyes when he truly smiled. He even missed the funny loops his stomach would go through when he was looked at Neil's smile.

Charlie was no help either. Anytime Todd brought up that he missed Neil, he would only begin to mutter about how dumb boys were. Touchy subject he guessed.

It had been two and a half weeks of ignoring his roommate when he was approached by his other friends. He looked up to see an excited Knox and a less excited Charlie gathered around his studying table. 

Knox spoke first. "Hey Todd we noticed that you haven't been to any meetings lately. We wondered what was going on."

"You know. Classes. Homework. The usual," replied Todd quietly.

"Well we wanted to invite you personally to tonight's poet meeting. We've got a lot of Whitman to read tonight. We know he's your favorite," announced Knox.

Todd's eyes lit up with the thought of listening to Whitman's works be read out loud. He opened his mouth to reply with an excited yes before he remembered that he was avoiding the leader of the poets. "I don't think I can tonight. Ive got a lot of homework assigned that I need to do."

"What a load of bull. I know you've been done with your homework for twenty minutes now," Charlie declared, "I know why you really won't come and you don't have to worry cause a certain person actually has to much homework and can't come tonight so he won't be there."

"He won't?" timidly inquired Todd.

"No. He won't," responded Charlie.

"They I just might be able to make it," answered Todd.

"Perfect. Meet us in the cave at midnight. Come on Knox lets bounce," Charlie said as he dragged his friend away from Todd.

 

Todd was looking forward to hearing Whitman's poetry out loud. He hoped someone would read parts of 'I sing the body electric' He couldn't crush the bit of disappointment as he realized that he wanted Neil to be the one he heard reading the poem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh the throws of an idiot in love.


	4. The End of Allergies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The meeting in the cave. What will happen? Only time will tell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter!!! Less short than the others! Woot

The woods were full of energy as wind whipped through the branches creating a melody of hope and fear. Todd was walking to the poets cave, his favorite book tucked under his arm. He was close to the cave a few paces or so when he heard laughter coming from inside. Todd thought that the poets had started without him and rushed into the cave. 

He was greeted by the sight of Charlie and Knox sitting next to each other. They were the ones who were laughing. Charlie was hanging on to every word that fell from Knox's lips like a man clinging to water in the desert. Todd didn't want to interrupt the boys fun, but Charlie noticed him standing in the entrance. 

"Hey Todd, come on in you aren't interrupting anything." Charlie says happily.

"Where is everyone else? I though this was supposed to be a meeting?" asked Todd as he moved to sit across from the two.

"Did we say that?" replied Knox in a nonchalant tone.

"Yeah. You guys said that we were reading Walt Whitman today," said Todd slowly.

"Oh well. We lied!" responded a cheerful Charlie.

"Wh- why - what?" stuttered a confused Todd.

"They lied for me. I needed to talk with you and they offered to help. This is the only way we came up with. I'm sorry if they got your hopes up." offered a voice from the entrance to the cave.

Todd turned around and saw a sheepish Neil standing by the caves opening. He gasped quietly and moved away from his friend. When their eyes met Todd's symptoms began again. His pulse began to race, his hands got clammy and his stomach felt like it was doing somersaults.

"What are you doing here" accused Todd.

Neil raised his hands, the way you do to calm a frantic animal. "I just want to talk. That it"

"We'll leave you guys to it. Come on Knox," Charlie said as he pulled the boy toward the exit. "Those two have a lot to talk about."

The cave filled with silence after the two boys went to stand outside. Neither of the boys in the cave made a move to speak. Todd refused to make eye contact with Neil, instead focusing on a spot on the ground. Neil took this as an opportunity to take a few steps forward. The dark haired boy broke the silence first.

"Why have you been avoiding me? Do you hate me or something?" asked Neil as he came to a stop a few feet away from Todd.

"No it's not that," replied the blushing boy.

"Then what is it? Why do you suddenly hate me? Why have you been avoiding me for weeks? I miss you Todd," declared a desperate Neil.

Hearing that Neil missed him as well made Todd's face flush even more than it already had. "Do you really want to know?" questioned Todd as he finally made eye contact with Neil.

"Of course I do," replied Neil staring back into the blue eyes of his friend.

"Whenever I'm around you my stomach feels funny and my heart starts racing and it gets harder and harder to breathe and.."

"Todd.." interrupted Neil as he took a step closer to his roommate.

"I'm allergic to you Neil." stated Todd. 

"What."

"I'm allergic to you," he repeated.

"Todd you can't be allergic to me." said a deadpan Neil.

"What else could it be then?" asked Todd.

"Do you sneeze around me? Do your eyes water?" stated Neil.

"Well no but... what else could my symptoms mean?" Todd stared at Neil with a thousand questions scattered around in his eyes.

"Charlie's right. We really are idiots." exclaimed Neil. 

Neil finished his statement and stepped closer to his friend. Todd's heart felt as if it were leaping from his chest. The taller boy leaned down ever so slightly, bringing their faces nearly an inch apart.

"What do my symptoms mean?" whispered Todd. 

"They mean you're in love," replied Neil. Neil's hand came up to brush against Todd's cheek. 

They both closed their eyes and brought their lips together to meet in a sweet kiss. The first of many to come. Todd's knees almost buckled. His arm reached around and held onto Neil as though he would leave him any moment. Neil's arms wrapped gently around Todd's waist and he was home.

 

From outside the cave, the other two boys were reflecting on the situation going on inside the cave. Knox and Charlie stood, waiting for their friends to be done with their sappy love confessions. 

To break some of the tension between him and his friend Knox said "I can't believe that they were both so dumb about their feelings. If someone was in love with me I'd definitely know about it"

Charlie took a moment to respond, "Knox I have been in love with you for three years." He stated as he began to walk back to Welton.

"Wait what? When did this happen? Charlie don't you walk away from me!"

The wind blows through the trees as the two sets of boys end up far from their starts, their paths intertwined , proving that anything can happen. Anything at all.

Fin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this work about a bunch of idiots in love!

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys like this!! Enjoy my children being dumb as all hell.


End file.
